Mission Accomplished for Pinoy Otaku Festival 2014: Fantasm

Naruto Cosplayers PH (NCPH) gathers more than 6 boxes of school supplies containing pencils, ballpens, notebooks, writing pads, crayons and erasers during the two-day Pinoy Otaku Festival 2014: Fantasm event on May 24-25, 2014 at Starland Themepark, Starmall Alabang. These donations came from cosplayers, congoers, and regular spectators. The donations will be part of the Balik Eskwela Project of the organization and will be donated to a selected public school. Arnold Lareza, father of Chibi Cosplayers Bolen Lareza is the project coordinator for this year.

#Fantasm can be safely concluded as successful despite some glitches, a warm venue and extended programming. The promised Live Action Role Play Event had proven to be more difficult than expected as the team met lots of problems along the way including the tailor for the key characters being sick and thus Emperor Charles, Nunnaly, Cornelia, Tohdou and Black Knights were unable to appear during the event. Despite of these, a feel of Britannia was still achieved through the event opening , Cosplay Checkers and the ending scene of the Fantasm Cosplay Lives Competition on the second day where Suzaku and Zero had their dramatic face off.

Starland Themepark had recorded one of the most number of people at the place in its history during the two day event with an estimated number of around 4,000 people during those days. The extend of the event was even extended to other floors of the mall as cosplayers were seen everywhere. The Cosplay Parade on the second day was also one of the longest cosplay parades composed of more than 150 cosplayers in total.

Starland Themepark at Starmall Alabang proved to be a challenging venue. Admittedly, it has the feel of Britannia and a good venue for photo shoot but the heat plus the inability to adhere to what was promised to the organizers provided to be the main reason why Fantasm was not able to realize its full potential.

Despite previous agreements after Pinoy Otaku Encore on February 22, 2014 at the same venue, the event was not given the mall’s lights and sounds, projector and basic marketing necessities including endorsement to its tenants by the mall management as promised. NCPH being a non-profit organization have to try its best in order to mend the situation the organization is thankful to Brgy. Capt. Allen Fresnedi Ampaya for the chairs for the booths, Jerry Ace Borbe for helping out with the sound system and other people who helped out in order to bring the event to a success.

“Starland Themepark management really gave us a hard time negotiating for a fair agreement for this event,” says Ranne Tubig, Logistics Manager of Red Cloud Interactive.

Fantasm Innovations

Fantasm tried to introduce innovations and new ingredients into the usual convention and though there are things to be improved, overall it was a success. Some of these innovations include the following:

Enhanced VIP System – an individual centered VIP system were the individual gets privileges for his/her enjoyment and for the first time in the history of an event, a free bus ride was included courtesy of RRCG Transit and Spin Manila Bus TV.

Activity Card – known for this event as the Geass Card serves as a fun and exciting activity for attendees to keep them busy doing the event. This is the start of bringing the activity not only to cosplayers and on-stage but also to regular attendees of events.

Live Action Role Play Event – 25% success is still something, and Fantasm started a trend to bring into life what the attendees like though more preparation and back-up plans should be set in order to fully achieved a realistic LARP event.

The 1st Bolen Lareza Chibi Cosplay Competition was a success in bringing in one of the most participated and first ever all-chibi cosplay competition where almost everyone gets something after participating. The panel of judges includes prominent chibi cosplayers: Bolen herself, Ashley Misaki, Izaiah Luke Buelos and Belldandy Chii.

Hero Dub It Out provided a glimpse for the audience to know and interact with the Pinoy Seiyu of their favorite anime. They also had the chance to join an impromptu dubbing competition.

Fantasm Cosplay Lives Competition achieved its aim to present a cosplay competition where realism is the key overall factor in determining the winners. Each judge focused on one criteria and they have to deliberate on the winners. Ryan Simbul (Engagement), Jay Agonoy (Realism), Sheila Millette Navarro (Costume), and Rb Cheng (Difficulty) had a hard time deciding but in the end worthy winners were announced.

The future of Pinoy Otaku Festival really depends on the community whether they want to have an event such as this once again. “We are at the service of those who attend and patronize our events, so it really depends on whether they would tell us to hold POF once again,” says David D’Angelo, Vice President and PR-Events of Naruto Cosplayers PH (NCPH).

If you want to suggest a title for Pinoy Otaku Festival 2015, want to sponsor the event, be an exhibitor or suggest a venue just contact NCPH at ncph2010@gmail.com or Mr. David D’Angelo at 0909-624-1531.

A success shared

Lie Pagtalunan, 5th Hokage (President) of NCPH admittedly said, “The success of Fantasm will never be possible if not for everyone working together. Naruto Cosplayers PH and Red Cloud Interactive were not the only keys to this event but all of those who have joined, supported and believed in it.”